


The Lady and the Spirit

by FanofmanyFandoms (Majorwhovian)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure, Dante Basco call me, Ember Island, F/M, Fluff, Katara sucks at stealth, Romance, The Blue Spirit - Freeform, The Painted Lady - Freeform, The feels man the feels, This is not a mermaid au, Under the Sea, Undercover, Zutara, Zutara Fanwork Appreciation Week 2020, darling it's better down where it's wetter, kissing under water is sexy as long as you can breathe, soft babies, zuko is dramatic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:28:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majorwhovian/pseuds/FanofmanyFandoms
Summary: An evening spar between Katara and Zuko is witnessed by a firebender who might be only too happy to report what he saw to officials.  Determined to not let their hideout be discovered, the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady team up to wreak a little spirit havoc and keep the Gaang's location secret before all of Ember Island finds out who's actually been living at the Fire Lord's house. Fluffy one-shot with our two favs and Suki as best wing-man ever.
Relationships: Blue Spirit/Painted Lady, Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 80





	1. A Heated Couple Moments

**Author's Note:**

> So this is actually an arc from my main series that is currently a WIP, but it can totally stand on it's own as a short story. The contents have been edited slightly to tie up the ending instead of leading into the next chapter in the series. If you like the story and style feel free to check out the full work. I would be very grateful. I figured the Zutara Fanwork appreciation week was a good reason to post. 
> 
> For those of you procrastinating on the work you should actually be doing but are reading fanfiction instead, this won't take you hours to read.

For the first time in nearly a year, the team slept in the same beds for more than one night and enjoyed the luxury of an actual roof over their heads. Ember Island was a very needed bit of a retreat. Katara had settled into a routine of sorts. She and Zuko had started to team up to make meals, do chores, and take care of their little family together. The routine included sparring matches with the Fire Prince in the early mornings before Aang got up for his training. It was refreshing, educational, and thrilling to start the day with a burst of adrenalin and action. Katara loved it.

The moon wasn't quite full in the sky, but was getting brighter as the full moon approached in the coming week. Katara felt the energy fill her whole body as her bending got stronger and stronger. She and Zuko had missed their early morning sparring session that day (thanks to Aang waking up early for once) and they decided to do it once every one else had gone to bed. For once, Katara would have the upper hand. She was excited for Zuko to see her spar under the moon. She wanted him to see every angle of her bending. He hadn't seen anything like that since the Southern Raiders trip.

She didn't want tonight to be anything like that trip. The memories flooded through her as she walked behind Zuko to the beach, beach towel in hand. She remembered the look on his face the day she hadn't cared to hide any part of her abilities from him. The acceptance she had felt even after he saw her bloodbend. There was no judgement, no lecture, no need for guilty feelings. Zuko had not hesitated to get closer even after seeing her at her worst. It filled her with a warm feeling towards the fire bender.

She was starting to feel conflicted and confused. On one hand she had Aang, her sweet friend who loved her dearly. She loved him too, but was still unsure about the nature of those feelings. One thing was clear. Whatever she felt for Aang was calm and sweet, like a cool drink of water. She always felt at peace when she was helping guide the avatar. Like she was fulfilling her destiny and her purpose in life. It always felt good to do the right thing.

On the other hand was Zuko, her enemy turned friend who was an open book and a walking mystery all at the same time. Her feelings for him were less clear, but there all the same. Zuko was not like a cool drink of water. Not at all. Zuko bounced between a gentle flame and a raging inferno. Get too close and you get burned, step away and you freeze to death. She was like a moth drawn to a flame, and in the particular weak moments she wanted to burn. She wanted to be consumed. It was confusing and exhilarating all at the same time.

Part of her resisted the feelings, while most of her flocked to them. In the short space of about a month he spent nearly ever evening by her side, talking, encouraging, and helping. Always helping. For someone who supposedly grew up as royalty, Zuko had a serving heart. She didn't know if he had always been like that or if it was a recent thing. Regardless, she loved him for it. He made her feel not alone. When the others got into some scrap or another she knew she wouldn't be the only one coming to save the day or make sure everyone was all right. Zuko had made that his job as well. 

Katara didn't know when the tension started. She just knew it was there, filling most of their interactions over the past month. She pushed the complex thoughts our of her head and focused on the upcoming match.

When they reached the beach Katara took a deep breath and pull off her shirt and pants, leaving only her bindings and a thin layer of fabric that draped over her shorts and hips. She had never sparred with Zuko like this, but she decided she was past caring. She sparred with Aang all the time in her bindings. There shouldn't be a difference. But she sure _felt_ different. Her heart raced and she awkwardly played with the towel as Zuko pulled off his tunic leaving only his swim trunks. Her heart was _really_ racing now.

Zuko turned around and saw her waiting for him, just two feet away. She looked like a river spirit, he realized. He blushed crimson when he realized he was openly staring at her. He couldn't help it. Her chestnut hair cast shadows over her shoulders and neck. She had untied it and it flowed loosely around her form as the wind blew across the waves. Her white bindings were such a stark contrast to her dark skin that it looked like they were glowing in the moonlight. She wasn't thin and her biceps and calves showed the toning and muscles there. He had to pull his eyes away from her curves and back up to her eyes.

Her eyes. They were nervous, and they were staring at him as intently as he was staring at her. And they were not meeting his gaze, they were staring at his exposed abdomen. The realization made him proud and self-conscious all in the same moment. She couldn't help it.

She had seen Zuko shirtless before when he was sparring with Aang, but she'd never seen him like this. Alone. At night. Just two feet away from her. His muscles were pronounced over his shoulders and stomach. His skin was flawless up to the red scar that covered most of half his face. She was tempted to reach her hand out and trace the edges of the scar.

"Are you ready?" he asked quietly, breaking the moment. Katara snapped out of her trance and her face blushed a deep red. It was ok. Their faces just currently matched in color. Even before he had joined the group, Zuko had known the waterbender was a force to be reckoned with. He saw from afar how she protected her friends and fought fiercely for them. It was a dedication Zuko had only received from his mother and uncle up to this point.

But now he was on the receiving end of Katara's fierce protection as well. He never doubted that she would have his back no matter what. His admiration and respect had started to grow into something else over the past few weeks. He reminded himself why he shouldn't get close. Told himself that either one of them could die when Sozen's comet arrived. Repeatedly shouted that he needed self control, restraint. Suki's voice echoed in his head.

The Kyoshi Warrior had picked up on his attraction to Katara before he had even realized it himself. She had cut off all his excuses with one statement.

_"Don't regret anything that you could've done, but didn't."_

He took a quick step forward. A foot apart. So close. There was no Aang to interrupt them this time. It looked like Katara was having trouble maintaining eye contact and he heard the slight change in her breathing as he entered her personal space. Zuko, however, never broke his gaze away _._

 _But timing._ Zuko argued with himself. _She's my beautiful good friend. She's fifteen. We're in the middle of a war. She has feelings for someone else._

"I asked if you were ready" Zuko asked again, so softly. Katara looked startled. She needed to back up. Back away from the firebender who was quite literally radiating heat in front of her. His eyes were magnetic.

"I..." Katara began. Two weeks ago they had been just talking together out on the porch. He had leaned in. His eyes had glanced down at her lips before he suddenly turned away as Aang came outside. There was no one to shatter the moment into pieces like before. There was no one. Just herself, Zuko, Yue and the waves crashing on shore. This time, it was Katara who glanced down at Zuko's lips.

"I'm ready" she said finally. Her eyes fluttered closed as his breath ghosted over her cheeks. She wanted to lean up into the inevitable kiss. She wanted to feel his heat again. Forget sparring. This was much more exciting.

But Zuko had already made up his mind, self-control, though weakening (especially when her eyes went to his lips), winning out in the moment. A searing heat poured out on either side of her as Zuko started the spar. He bended fire around her, lighting up the beach. She jumped back, startled as she watched Zuko take another stance. His face was still a bit pink, betraying his feelings, but there was a slight smirk on his lips.

Oh no. She would not be that easy. She was under the moonlight. She wouldn't let his charms and abs be the reason she lost this fight. His fire had brushed so close to her skin. She had almost lost in the first minute. The strength of the moon poured through her veins. _La,_ It had been so long since she had bended at night. She called the ocean to her hands, letting it swirl around her first before making the ring of water and shooting a volley of darts from the sphere.

It was a firebending form that he had taught her. Zuko noted her improvement immediately. Her aim was much better and thickness of the ice daggers was much greater than it had been before. So much so that his wall of fire was not enough to eliminate the oncoming threats. One cracked against his upper bicep and sent him backwards. Still on his feet, he mounted a counter attack, shooting a dart of fire into the sphere of water, breaking the circle and stopping the daggers.

Katara turned, spinning an oncoming wave around her like a shield. She twisted a torrent of water beneath her, lifting herself above the water wall. From her perch she rained down numerous streams. All spinning at high speeds and all aimed at his bare torso. It was Zuko's turn for a surprise. He suddenly spun onto his back, lifting his feet into the air and kicking in a circular motion, sending a shock wave of fire around him, cutting straight through Katara's protective wave and cutting down the twister that she sat upon.

It was an airbending move.

One of her streams had managed to knock him down, but he quickly got back up as Katara rounded up the fallen wave. Her weakness was in close quarters in hand to hand combat. Though she had been working on it, it was still a shortcoming, and she would need to fix that. Zuko would show her where her weak spot was. She threw a wave at him, then seconds later, another. The moves were fast and ferocious. Like a firebender.

Though the attacks were pointed at him, Zuko couldn't help but be entranced. Her moves were beautiful. Taking water and making it move like that was unique...and undeniably sexy.

He found himself constantly on the defensive. And why not? He was facing a master waterbender at night. It was a doomed mission from the start. And he was enjoying every second.

Katara, meanwhile, was relishing the fight. It was competitive, for sure, but as the duel went on she slowly saw herself getting the upper hand. But she wanted more. She wanted him to know for sure that he couldn't beat her. But as they say, pride cometh before a fall. Zuko dodged and rolled, only using the time to get closer to her, pulling out fire only when needed and doing nothing to make her draw back. She was standing at the very edge of the ocean, the foam licking at her ankles.

She didn't realize what he was doing. She bent a water whip, intending to take out his feet and declare herself the victor. It was her signature move, and Zuko was ready for it. She went for his feet, he jumped forward, and without any bending, tackled her full force. She fell backwards into the wet sand and the next wave washed around her as her body imprinted in the sand. Zuko was above her, a knee between her legs and both of his hands on either of her wrists. She was breathing hard and as the glow of his victory started to fade, he realized the intimate position they were in.

Her eyes were angry. It was night. There was no way she could lose. She struggled beneath him, tearing her eyes away from his bare torso and focusing on the water that swarmed her hair. He leaned closer, his chest now barely brushing hers. He wanted to goad her a little bit, after all, it was an impressive win.

"So even when you have the moon on your side" he whispered to her "We still end up here." Katara froze. Two could play that game. She relaxed beneath him and stopped struggling.

"Only when you start cheating" she whispered back, her words dripping like sugar. She lifted her head up closer to his face. He looked taken aback by her reaction.

"Katara..." he began. "I wasn't cheating...I..."She leaned forward and her lips brushed against his good cheek. Zuko froze. She could sense his heartbeat racing beneath the skin. He was completely off guard now. With one swift motion she freed her wrists and bended the water around her against him. He was flung back into the waves. The match was still on. He stood up, water dripping down his body as he shook his head to get the hair out of his eyes. Katara flashed him a smirk and raced down the edge of the beach towards the deserted end of the island, bending water with her as she went.

Zuko chased her, steaming water out of his way as he tore after her. Once he got a good foothold he sent a torrent of flame in her direct towards her feet. She turned, sending the large wave she had gathered flowing towards him like a tsunami. She jumped onto the ocean, icing herself a raft and dodging his attack while he was swept away into the sea. He was in deeper water now. She was pulling him further into her element. She moved the ice flow towards him. The water around him started to retract, swirling around him and forming a pit around him. A pit he stood at the bottom of.

Katara appeared at the top and he punched some fire balls in her direction. Katara appeared again. He had evidently missed. She shot her hands downward and the pit started to collapse around him. She was pulling the sea down on top of him. He held his breath and let it happen.

Katara waited, chest deep in water, for Zuko to resurface. When he didn't, she started to panic.

"Zuko?" she called out. There was no answer. She took a step forward and suddenly felt arms close around her middle. A warm body was pressed up against her backside.

"I _am not_ the cheater in this situation" Zuko hissed into her ear. It sent chills down her back. Her brain was fighting between continuing the fight or turning and slamming her lips against his and kissing him for all she was worth. Unbeknownst to her, Zuko was considering the same thing. The sense that they were standing in a crackling field of electricity that buzzed in the air between them overwhelmed their senses.

Her pride won out. There was no way she was losing to a firebender at night. She iced the water around her body, making her float up and out of his grasp, then quickly melted the ice and stood above him on an ice raft.

"Right. Using your charm to take my focus isn't cheating at all. Sorry, didn't realize" Katara laughed. She stopped as she realized the confession she had just made. Zuko, however, was thrilled. He grabbed the edge of the ice raft and it tipped as he pulled himself onto it. Katara froze more water, making the raft larger.

"Oh, just try it, Zuko. You're standing in the middle of the ocean" Katara reminded him. Zuko smirked again.

"Never stopped me before" he told her. Katara blushed furiously. He was impossible. She turned and ran across the top of the water, parallel to the shore, icing it as she went. The view of this spar was fantastic from the shore.

An older firebender stood at the edge of cliff, thankful to get away from his loud family and enjoy a bit of tranquility of an evening walk. He watched as a small figure in the distance raced atop the water, chased by another darker figure. He lit a fire in his palm and watched, wondering at the spectacle below.

Katara and Zuko were completely unaware of the person watching. Katara bended fog over the ice bridge, waiting to hear a splash if Zuko lost his footing and fell over the side. There was no splash and she kept running. A stitch tore into her side and she stopped, letting the wind blow the fog around and hide her from the shore. She listened, waiting, feeling for footsteps on the ice. It was silent. Katara turned, not wanting to be caught off guard again.

"Zuko?" she called softly. No answer.

Meanwhile, Zuko was determined to win this fight. Never mind that it wasn't likely; if he used his wits instead of his firebending he might have a shot. When Katara bended the fog over the ice bridge he silently slipped into the water and started to swim in Katara's direction. She wouldn't be expecting him to attack from behind her, if he could only swim ahead of her.

The fog served as added cover as Zuko dove beneath the surface and swam beneath the ice. He saw her shadow and heard an echo of her voice as she called out for him. Good. Let her get a little spooked. His head breached the surface and he sucked a quiet breath of the night air. He peaked over the edge of the ice bridge and saw her back was turned to him. She was scanning the top of the waves looking for him. He formed a plan and quickly ducked down into the water again.

He swam until he was directly beneath her. Just like he had done at the North Pole, he pushed his hands up against the ice and started to melt it away, making sure to be out of the way when she fell through.

It all happened very quickly. One moment Katara was standing atop the ice, completely dry as she opened her mouth to call for Zuko again. The next moment she plunged through the water through the hole in the ice. She opened her eyes under water to look Zuko in the face. He wrapped his arms around her and was grinning like the idiot he was. But they were still immersed her element.

Zuko could've smacked himself. How was this a good idea? Katara spun and the water below him disappeared. They dropped down onto the sea floor as Katara created an air dome beneath the surface. Zuko never let go of her and kicked her legs out from under her once they fell to the sea floor. She collapsed against the wet sand and sea plants, adrenalin pumping through her system at a furious rate.

She kept her hands up, steadying the water around them. If she let go the water would crash over both of them. Her win. But he was still over her, fire in palm as he pinned her down with his other hand. The ocean was dark and it was the only light illuminating their little sanctuary. The tension returned and Zuko's self-restrain was waning. Her blue eyes flashed at him in defiance. If only...

He wanted to lean down right then and capture her lips with his. He wanted to kiss her like he had never kissed anyone - he'd never _wanted_ to kiss someone this bad. He wanted to know what those soft lips felt like against his own. His eyes drifted to her mouth again. All it would take was a second. All he had to do was lean forward. But she looked angry. Or frustrated. He couldn't tell which.

"Draw" Zuko said as he looked over his head at the ocean she was keeping off his back.

"I didn't perform my best tonight" Katara spat back at him. He wanted to argue but he knew she was right. She was off her game. He released her and she sat up. The moment was gone again and Zuko was kicking himself. He determined right then and there that if he got another chance, he would not waste it.

Katara gradually bent the water back around them, and the two swam back up to the surface. Katara quickly melted the ice bridge as the fog started to drift away in the wind. She was about to start swimming to shore so they could clean up and go to bed when Zuko grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Katara" he hissed into her ear. "Up on the cliffs, look."

Katara followed his finger to where he was pointing. There, in the distance, was a light. It was a firebender or someone with a torch. They stood still and stared at them on the sea.

"They could've been watching the whole thing" Katara whispered. A pit landed in her stomach. This wasn't good.

"Hide" Zuko whispered. They dove beneath the waves, only letting their noses breach the water to get air. They stayed like that for a good twenty minutes before checking to see if the man was still there. Katara sighed in relief when the light from the cliffs disappeared. Zuko, however, was not relieved at all.

"Come on" he told her, as he started to swim to shore. "We have to find out what he saw."


	2. The Spirits Return

They hugged the side of the cliffs as they ran back to their towels on the beach.

"How are we going to know where he went?" Katara asked as she ran behind Zuko. Zuko's mouth was set in a grim line. He could _not_ let their carelessness be the reason they were caught. He couldn't escape the feeling of responsibility for this group of rag-tag kids. 

"Well first, we don't tell Sokka." The boy was great to have in a pinch. Stealthy, though? The Boiling Rock experience had shown otherwise. "This isn't a big island. We'll find him, but we need to do it tonight. Don't wake the others. We have to move quick." He tried to envision what their spar looked like from a distance on shore. The fog, the waterbending. Something clicked. He had an idea.

"Katara, have you ever heard of the Blue Spirit?" Katara was wrapping the towel around herself and paused to look up at him. The name sounded familiar and she remembered seeing posters all over the Earth Kingdom.

"Yeah, I remember hearing about him in the Earth Kingdom. Some people said he was a spirit, some said he was a thief. I thought it was just a local legend" Katara responded. Zuko looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Thief, huh? Well, it was true. I was" he admitted. Katara was dumbfounded.

" _You?_ You're the Blue Spirit?" she asked in shock. Zuko nodded sheepishly. Katara grinned and tied the towel around her waist.

"So we've both impersonated spirits. That's something" she said.

"Wait, you've impersonated a spirit?" Zuko asked, surprised. Katara nodded as she remembered.

"I pretended to be the Painted Lady earlier this summer so I could help a small Fire Nation village. The actual spirit appeared to thank me right before we left. Sokka still doesn't believe I actually saw her, but I did. And my costume was actually pretty on point."

Zuko looked deep in thought. He motioned for her to follow him up the path back to the beach house.

"Do you still have the costume?" He asked finally. Katara nodded, she knew she could reconstruct it pretty easily with a few tweaks. "Good. Put it on and meet me in the courtyard in 10 minutes. We're going to find that man and figure out what he saw. And we're going to do it all tonight. I'm not going to jeopardize the safety of anyone here because we were careless."

"Why do we need the costumes?" Katara asked. She felt bad that he regretted their spar, but she should've been more responsible and alert. They had all gotten pretty relaxed and it was easy to sometimes forget the were hiding out in the Fire Nation and not some random Earth Kingdom town.

"A firebender and a waterbender will make a stir if they're spotted together. However, two spirits in the shadows? That's the story that works better for us." Zuko answered as he quietly opened the back door. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Wait!" Katara hissed as she grabbed his arm. "We have to tell someone where we're going, on the slim chance that something happens. Because, you know, everything always goes as planned for us" she ended sarcastically. 

Zuko thought for a moment. "Suki." he said finally. "I'll tell Suki." Katara nodded. Together they ran into the house and up the stairs. Katara ran to her room and opened the wardrobe that held all of Zuko's mother's dresses. She didn't have the red tarp that she used earlier that summer, but the replacement was guaranteed to be more comfortable.

Zuko knocked softly at Suki's door. He heard the creak of the bed and a moment later Suki cracked the door open.

"Well, you're not Sokka" she said, laughing lightly. Zuko shook his head.

"Katara and I were sparring this evening..." Zuko began. Suki raised an eyebrow and grinned at him. Zuko frowned. "Just sparring" he insisted sharply.

"Right. That's what they're calling it now" Suki teased. Zuko shook his head, frustrated.

"Anyway, someone spotted us and Katara and I have to figure out what he saw. It might be nothing. Or, it could be something and we all have to leave for another hiding place. I want to be sure." Zuko explained quietly.

"Zuko, I'm not trying to be rude, but with your scar you are going to be easily recognized if you're spotted" Suki cautioned.

"That's why I'll be dressed as a spirit with a mask. We'll be back as soon as we can. Hopefully this won't take all night." Zuko said, turning to leave. Suki nodded and put her hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"Be careful" she said softly. "Don't do anything rash and get back safe." Zuko nodded and ran to his room. He quickly pulled out the dark tight pants and hood he had used to be the Blue Spirit before. He slid his dual swords into their case and slung it over his back. The only thing he needed was the mask, and he knew exactly where he would find one. Once he dressed quickly he went out into the hall to wait for Katara.

She stepped out of the room a few minutes later, and Zuko caught his breath. She was wearing one of his mother's dresses. The dress was too large for her, but she had taken some thin rope and cinched the dress around her waist and shoulders. The long sleeves draped elegantly over her arms and the dark color curved flatteringly up to her exposed shoulders. Katara held a large rimmed sunhat that had a veil stitched to its edges.

She caught sight of him in the hallway and glided over to him. "I'm going to the kitchen. I've got to paint the details on my face and arms" she explained. He nodded.

"Meet you in the courtyard" he reminded her. As she slipped downstairs Zuko entered his mother's old room. He headed straight for a painting opposite the wall.

Lady Ursa had loved the theater, particularly the play "Love Among the Dragons." The group that put on the performance on the island every year were notoriously horrible at the art, but Ursa seemed to enjoy it anyway. He knew she had masks of all the characters hidden away in her room, including the one he needed to use tonight.

He pulled the painting from the wall, revealing the hanging masks behind it. He looked at the masks for a minute, remembering how his mother had been hiding them when he entered the room as a boy. For some reason, Ursa never let Ozai see the collection. He remembered the look of fear then relief on her face when the door had opened and he had come in. The Blue Spirit mask in particular always haunted him, thus why he chose it.

Zuko pulled the mask on and put the painting back on the wall. The Blue Spirit was resurrected for an evening. He quickly slipped down the stairs and back to the courtyard, waiting in the shadows for Katara. When her figure appeared on the porch he would have sworn he was looking at an actual spirit if he didn't know any better.

She spotted him in the darkness, just barely. His black costume faded into the night, making the mask appear as if it were floating in the air on its own. It was a frightening façade, and Katara had to remind herself that it was Zuko beneath the grinning smile of the Blue Spirit. She ran over to him, satisfied with her paint job and feeling exactly like a spirit that moved like the wind.

"Are you ready?" she asked, excitement clipping her voice. Zuko nodded. The paint completed the look. Katara was transformed into the river spirit that he knew from his story books. His gold eyes gleamed beneath the mask and he silently took her hand. Together, they ran from the courtyard and headed for the town.

It hadn't been thirty minutes since the stranger had spotted them sparring. If they were sneaky and lucky, they might be able to spot him returning from the cliffs. They became one with the night, gliding soundlessly across the paths while a circle of fog continually followed them. Katara bended discreetly to keep a constant covering as they moved towards the town. They didn't see anyone on the many paths that led to the beach houses and most of the lamps in the homes were turned off.

The two entered the town, but instead of rushing from alley to alley, Zuko led Katara up onto the rooftops. There, they could get a good view of anyone wandering the town while remaining unseen. Most of the shops and buildings were dark. There was tavern at one end that floated a small amount of chatter and music into the night air. Zuko motioned for Katara to stay put as he flipped himself upside down and hung off a drain pipe so he could peak through a window.

From the looks of it, everyone who was in there had been there for a long time. There was a group in a corner playing a game of Pai Sho while two others laughed obnoxiously at the bar. Empty glasses littered the counter top. Zuko was about to pull himself up when the door to the tavern opened and a newcomer walked in.

It was an older man, and the edges of his robe were wet as if he had walked into the waves or through the dewy grass that covered the cliffside. He headed to the bar and sat down on the seat nearest the opposite window. Zuko pulled himself up and grabbed Katara's arm, pulling her with him to the other side.

"Hold my feet. I've got to lean down and crack the window shutter so I can hear. A man just walked in that might be our guy." Zuko whispered. Katara nodded and grabbed Zuko's ankles as he swung himself over the edge. The shutter was just out of reach, so Zuko pulled out one of his swords and used it to crack the shutter open just an inch. Bits of conversation reached the rooftop as the older man started talking to the bartender.

"Ching Su, good to see you again! Kids driving you crazy again?"

"Li, you have no idea. They call them _grand_ children but all they make is a _grand_ headache. I'm here to relax, not so the kids can scream into my ears all week."

There was a clinking of glasses and the muddled sound of laughter.

"So Li, I was just taking a walk along the cliffside when I saw the strangest thing. And, you're not going to believe this, two figures were _walking on water_! Right in front of me!"

Zuko looked up at Katara through the mask. Her blue eyes glinted beneath the veil. So they _had_ been spotted. Would the man connect the dots?

"Relax, Ching Su, you haven't had enough to drink to be talking like that."

"I'm serious, Li. Call me old and crazy, but I know what I saw!"

"My mother would believe you" the bar tender replied. "She would say spirits roam the Fire Nation in displeasure over what we have done to the world."

"Your mother is a sympathizer?"

"Pacifist more like it. I never believed in all that kooky nonsense."

Katara rolled her eyes. This bartender sounded like Sokka once upon a time. At least, _before_ he had been attacked by spirits and kidnapped to the spirit world.

"You know, I heard that there's more spirit activity ever since the Avatar resurfaced. There were reports that he's still in the Fire Nation after the eclipse. He'd be crazy to stay here. The comet is just a few weeks away." the older man continued.

"I haven't seen anything weird" the bartender said.

"Well, maybe I ought to report it. Spirits just cause trouble. Someone ought to patrol those empty cliffs. Any sort of nonsense could happen over there."

"Only kind of nonsense I know of would be partying kids."

"Still, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I heard stories about how a great spirit destroyed a whole fleet of ships at the North Pole. We don't need that kind of activity around here. It's not safe."

"Local sentries and enforcement hold up at the lighthouse down the beach. Go there if you want to make a report." There were more clinking noises and the sliding of a stool. They must have moved away from the window, because all Zuko could hear was muffled laughs and a word here and there. His head was starting to get dizzy from hanging down so long. He raised up his head and Katara helped pull him back fully on the roof.

"He saw us" Zuko said, rubbing his head. "He doesn't think we're benders, but he's reporting it anyway. We don't need anyone snooping by the house. He can't fill out that report."

"So what should we do?" Katara asked. They heard the slam of a door as someone excited the tavern. They raced to the edge of the roof and watched the older man walking down the street, heading to the lighthouse in the distance. They had a decision to make. Either they could leave this man alone and risk patrols discovering their hideout, or they could make sure he never got to the lighthouse.

Zuko hesitated. He knew what the old him would do. But this new him? Katara looked at the cold blue mask nervously. She was waiting for him to make the decision. She wanted him to lead.

"We need a distraction" Zuko said finally. "If they're going to patrol anywhere we need to make sure it isn't down at the house."

"So what kind of distraction?" Katara asked. Zuko stood up and watched the man as he walked down the street.

"We need to be spotted again. Here in town." he said.

"How can we make that plausible? What would a bunch of spirits do in town?" Katara asked. She had blown up a factory, but these were people's houses. There was no war happening here. Just a bunch of people on vacation.

"He thinks the spirits might be angry at the war, right? There are nobles and generals staying in a bunch of those beach houses. All we need to do is shake them up a bit." Zuko explained. He remembered the last time he had trashed a noble's house. He wasn't proud of it, but the tiniest bit of him remembered the gratifying feeling. It had been a little fun too.

"Which houses?" Katara asked. Zuko frowned, trying to remember the bragging words of the other kids on the beach. He hadn't paid much mind to it before. He was still the Fire Prince and the other kids had ignorantly tried to brag to him about their families important role in the war. Three families stood out to him.

"I'll show you." Zuko said. "But first, lets get the attention of our admirer over here." Katara nodded and the two jumped off of the tavern roof to the next, following the older gentleman through the night. Katara started to make a thick fog as she went, bending it through the streets and alleys. She could use Aang's airbending and Sokka's sound effects right about now.

Anyone looking out their windows could have spotted the two figures jumping from roof to roof as the fog swirled around them. Their movements looked effortless as they glided silently over the rooftops. The older gentleman stopped in the middle of the street, turning to see the thick fog that had formed. A shutter of fear passed through him as the stillness of the night descended on him.

He looked up, just in time to see two dark figures flying over the rooftops. The moonlight illuminated the figures as they were pulled from the fog and leaped into the air. One had long flowing hair, partially hidden beneath a large veiled hat. The garment they wore was long and flowing, billowing in the night wind as the figure moved. Beside them was a darker figure, only visible by the bright blue face that lit up the night with a terrible sneer.

The man trembled. The spirits had come for him. The fog billowed around him and the two figures suddenly stopped and looked towards him simultaneously. The skin of the one was marked with strange twisted designs that circled the skin. The other crouched next to the figure as its gaze pierced through the man's very soul.

Perhaps the authorities didn't need to be informed of the spirit activity tonight. Maybe he could do that in the morning. The man changed course and headed to his family's beach house.

They continued, Zuko zeroed in on the target. He pointed ahead and Katara nodded. Just as they reached the edge of town, Katara put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. She wanted to make one thing very clear before they started this little mission.

"We don't hurt anyone, ok?" she whispered to him. Zuko looked at her through his mask. She couldn't see his face, but his eyes betrayed the emotion he felt.

"I never planned to" he whispered in her ear. "Don't worry." She breathed a sigh of relief before leaping off the roof. She ran through the dewy grass towards the beach house. She spotted the older man running ahead of her. He entered the house, looking nervously over his shoulder but not spotting her in the fog before going inside.

With one swift motion she pulled the thick fog around the beach house. She felt for openings in the sides and the roof of the house, anywhere she could push water through. It start like a trickle, but soon the lamps in the house turned on as Katara bended a steady stream of water into the houses.

They wouldn't hurt anyone, she reminded herself. This was quite simply a scare tactic. Zuko moved to where he could be spotted through the windows of the house. Inside, the family was starting to panic. Water was trickling down the walls even though it was not raining.

"Dad, what did you do?" a young woman asked as she held a young boy in her arms. The boy squirmed from her grasp and ran to the windows. The older man shook his head.

"I think I saw spirits at the beach tonight. They've followed me. I don't know why I've angered them. I was going to tell the island security" he told her. The little boy screamed and backed away from the window.

"Grandfather! Monster!" he cried. The man turned to the door. He was terrified, but he needed to take care of this. He lit a fire in his palm before opening the front door and stepping out the porch.

"Whoever you are, get away from my house!" he bellowed into the night. The rest of the words stuck in his throat as he spotted the silhouette of the two spirits standing in the midst of the fog. The fog was filling the house now.

"Your wars trouble my waters" a hoarse female voice hissed through the night. "Now you will be troubled."

The man punched a ball of fire towards the figures, but the fog swirled together and seemed to swallow the blast. The spirit raised her hands and suddenly water seeped through the floorboards and the sound of waves crashing violently on the shore echoed into the house.

All along the shore line, houses lit up as people started yelling about the abrupt unexplained flooding in their homes. They were met with a thick fog that swept into the houses without warning.

Katara was starting to tire. She was manipulating very large amounts of water at the moment and trying to do it with as little motion as possible. If anyone spotted her, she did want to look like a waterbender.

"The spirits are angry!" a voice broke through the night air. The older gentleman who had cowered on his porch took a step forward, emboldened by the presence of others.

"Chase them off! They are not welcome here!" he hollered to his neighbors.

"I think we've garnered enough panic and attention. Let's get out of here" Katara whispered to Zuko. He nodded and they attempted to back towards the ocean. If the vacationers thought they chased off the spirits, then maybe there would be no need to send out a patrol later. He was caught off guard when a fire ball blasted through the fog and barely missed his head.

"Right. Run!" he hissed to her. He grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him. They took off together down the beach as a group of frightened angry noble men in their pajamas gathered together.

The chase was on.


	3. Creating a Legend

The public beach across from most of the beach houses was very flat and clear of rocks. There weren't any places to hide, and Katara began to feel panicked as the mass of torches and firebenders approached them through the fog. She could see their dimmed lights and hear their shots. She had forgotten how little respect the Fire Nation had for the spirits. The scare tactic seemed to have the opposite effect they were looking for. One thing was for certain, they could not hide on the beach.

Zuko had never let go of her hand and he squeezed it tightly now, picking up on her nerves.

"We can't hide here" Katara hissed to him. Zuko turned quickly, putting a finger on the mouth of the mask. They couldn't risk being heard by the crowd forming. He simply gave a gentle pull on her arm so she would follow him. Katara complied willingly. Zuko knew this island better than she did, and she starting to suspect he had quite the resume when it came to impersonating spirits.

He guided her to the far end of the beach where they could slip behind one of the houses without being seen. The moonlight glistened overhead, filling Katara with the energy she needed to keep the fog bending going. She could not, however, maintain cover in the areas that they left. The fog kept them covered but also served as a dead giveaway for their location. The mob realized this and started to make their way up the beach, following the moving fog.

There was a two hundred foot gap between the house and the first building in the market area. Katara pulled moisture from the humid sea air and from the dew on the ground, making a cover that stretched from one building to the next. She heard a man shout and turned to see the glowing torches through the fog. She quickly pulled some more water from the surroundings and pushed it into the nearest house.

Shouts came from the inside and a woman opened the front door in a panic, hollering for help from their pursuers. It was the distraction they needed, and Zuko pulled Katara through the misty cover until they entered the first alley in the market. The commotion had stirred up the little town as shopkeepers emerged from the apartments over the stores. Katara jumped atop a barrel in the alley, meaning to pull herself up onto one of the roofs. She figured they had run across the town on the rooftops before. Why would now be any different?

Suddenly, Zuko pulled her back with a force she was not expecting. She squeaked in surprise just for Zuko to clamp a hand over her mouth and pull her against the side of the alley. He turned his head away from the entrance and used his body to hide her red costume. His Blue Spirit costume blended into the shadows, effectively hiding her from view.

"You keep having to do that." Katara whispered to him with a concealed giggle as his hand relaxed and fell away from her mouth. She remembered when she had almost given away their position at the communication tower on the Southern Raiders mission. "Apparently stealth isn't my..." Zuko grunted and his hand covered her mouth again as their was a sudden noise on the road.

Their was a flurry of angry voices on the street and torchlight chased away the shadows that the two so desperately needed to hide them. Ever so slowly, Zuko pulled her down behind the stack of barrels stored in the alley. He glared at her through the mask and she felt the scolding he was silently giving her as he released her. Lesson learned. No jokes on stealth missions.

Katara was reeling from the sudden shock of adrenaline to her system. Zuko never spoke, but she had grown attuned to his heartbeat, sensing it now without really trying as long as they weren't submerged in water to muddle her senses.

His heart was racing, not a far cry from her own. Even though they were currently hiding from an angry mob, she felt unusually safe. Zuko, however, was on high alert as he constantly scanned the alley and the roof above for any sign of movement. Katara was depending and trusting him. If only she would stop talking. Take note. Sokka _and Katara._ Both absolutely horrible when it came to stealth. The fact that she was trying to make jokes and wasn't completely panicked, however, made him feel good. It meant she trusted him. The realization flooded his chest like a warm cup of tea (brewed by the one and only Uncle Iroh).

Her swirling blue eyes twinkled at him through the veil, excited and eager. She looked so... _innocent._

_Also Gorgeous. Mysterious. Powerful. And freakishly adorable right now._

Zuko didn't know if anything of those things could go together at the same time. But Katara could make it happen. _Agni. He was smitten_. The amount of time he had spent that evening standing _so close_ to her was driving him a bit crazy. He was trying to keep his mind on everything else. The Painted Lady beside him was proving to be a greater distraction than anticipated.

They waited in the alley for a few more minutes as the crowd reached the other end of the town at the market place square. He hesitantly stood up and took a step out of the alley.

"I think...I think we lost them" Katara said. Zuko quickly looked over his shoulder, glaring at her. She _did not_ understand the concept of whispering, apparently. 

"Should we go back to the house? I'm fairly certain they're distracted away from the far coast" Katara asked. Zuko just shook his head, bring his finger to the mouth of his mask once more. No. The fire benders would not stop searching unless they were convinced that the spirits had left. A plan started to formulate in his mind. They would need to do one thing first.

He wasn't ready for the evening to end - not by a long shot, and they needed to make sure the little stir they had caused stayed on the island. To do that, they needed to take away the means of communication. He quickly turned back into the alley and used the barrel to jump up onto the rooftop. His eyes scanned the coastline. He had a good vantage point from where he stood and he quickly spotted the lighthouse that beamed a light into the ocean, announcing the island's existence to anyone at sea.

He felt a brush at his elbow and looked to see Katara crouching next to him. He pointed at the tower and she nodded. Finally, she was getting this whole stealth thing. He hadn't hardly uttered a word since they announced their presence to the villagers, completely absorbed into his spirit facade. Katara had gotten used to the silence and simply followed him when he suddenly jumped from the roof and slid down a drain pipe to the alleyway. She could take some notes. This spirit thing was fun, but tricky.

The costume was heavy and hard to run in. She was lucky she didn't trip on the long skirts. Zuko glanced at her over his shoulder, the grin of his mask gleaming in the moonlight. He was lucky. His costume was literally made for these situations.

Silently, the two spirits glided through the town, abandoning the use of the fog and opting for speed instead. There was no sign of their earlier pursuers and Katara felt like she was floating. The only sound was the wind against her rippling long gown. The veil blew across her face as she watched Zuko run ahead of her. They left the town and headed towards a small tower amidst the beach houses on the coastline. Katara realized what they were doing.

The tower served as a lighthouse for the island, but also as a mail service. If they could eliminate the messenger hawks then there wouldn't be any risk of their activity making it back to the mainland. Zuko was thinking ahead.

The hawkkeeper was sound asleep just inside the door of the lighthouse. The two spirits glided past him soundlessly. Katara didn't see the hawk cages and was starting to explore the first floor when Zuko softly touched her shoulder. He pointed towards the nearby staircase that went to the top of the tower and motioned for her to follow. His shoes didn't make a sound on the steps as they spiraled upward. When they opened the door on the top floor of the tower, Katara's eyes were immediately drawn to the stack of cages on the opposite wall.

She quickly walked over. Most of the birds were asleep, and they peered at her sleepily as she unlocked the cages. Together, Zuko and Katara pulled out a bird at time and held it over the edge of the railing. The bird's feathers fluttered in the wind as the night air woke each of them up gradually. One by one, the birds were released into the night sky, flapping quietly away. Katara watched them go as the moonlight caught each of them as tiny specks in the night sky.

She stood there until the last hawk had disappeared from view. She heard a creaking noise and spotted Zuko climbing up a ladder to the lighthouse chamber. She followed him up and gasped in awe when she caught view of the massive fire at the top. It was made like a giant oil lantern and the fire burned brightly as a set of prisms swirled around it, reflecting the light out to sea.

Zuko had wanted to see if he could spot their pursuers. His eyes scanned the village below and spotted a small crowd around the first house. Some people were hanging wet rugs or blankets on their porch railings. He couldn't help but smirk to himself. They still needed to make sure the people had no more reason to search for them. They needed to make sure they had a _very public_ exit.

He felt safe enough to remove his mask and turn to enjoy the view for just a moment. Katara saw him and she pulled off the veiled hat. She moved to stand next to him as leaned against the railings.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Katara murmured to Zuko. Zuko didn't realize what she was talking about until she nodded at the moon.

"Sure" he responded. "But how do you know it's a she?" he asked. Katara turned to him in surprise.

"Sokka didn't tell you?" she asked. Zuko frowned and thought back. He did remember Sokka mentioning something about the moon, but it had sounded a bit crazy and he didn't know how to respond to it in the moment. What do you say to a guy who claims his girlfriend is the moon?

"When Zhao was in the North Pole he killed a Koi fish that was the physical embodiment of the moon spirit" Katara began. Zuko remembered that. He remembered seeing the world go dark. Uncle had explained to him briefly what had taken place, but he never had really connected the dots.

"The princess, my uncle said the princess of the northern tribe died that night" Zuko said, remembering. Katara nodded sadly.

"Princess Yue was a brave woman. The moon spirit had given her life, so she gave it back. She was Sokka's first love, and he took it very hard. Whenever I look at the moon I remember her. She was a beautiful person. Inside and out" Katara said sadly, looking up at the celestial body above.

"If our nations weren't at war I probably would've known her" Zuko said. "Fellow royal and all that." Katara nodded. It was strange to think of the world without the war. Who would she be? She would have never met Aang and traveled the world. She certainly wouldn't be dressed up like a spirit on a stealth mission with the Fire Prince. Beside her, Zuko was having the same thoughts. Bitterly, he realized he still might have the scar, war or not. His father hated him and that had nothing to do with the war, so he thought.

"When Sokka, Aang, and I are traveling we used to play a game. We called it World without War and we took turns saying what we would do if the war ended that day. It was a way to give us hope for tomorrow" Katara said softly. She impulsively reached for his hand. "What would you do if the war ended today, Zuko?"

Zuko looked at her as hope and longing filled his heart. He knew exactly what he would do.

"I would find my mother" he said hoarsely. He still didn't dare to dream that would be a possibility. Would she still be alive after all these years? Katara's eyes filled with tears for him. Her mind flitted back to the night the had stayed up together alone on Ember Island before the Gaang had joined them. He had explained his mistakes and apologized sincerely. They both had cried and shared their pain with each other. Zuko had told her that his father told him his mother was alive, right before Ozai had tried to kill him with lightening. They had talked about so many things that night.

She shared his hope now, and pulled his head against her shoulder without hesitation. She hugged him closely and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, never wanting to let go.

"If the war ended today, then I would help you, Zuko. I want to be by your side when you find her" she whispered into his ear. "I promise."

Zuko pulled back a little and looked her in the eyes, their gazes locking together.

"Thank you" he whispered to her. He reached up to brush away the few tears that had slipped down her face. Katara leaned into his touch, thankful for the comfort and the moment they shared. Zuko hesitated, then leaned forward. Butterflies filled every inch of Katara's body as she felt his lips brush lightly against her forehead in a gentle kiss.

"Thank you" he repeated softly, his breath brushing over her skin as he looked down at her. All she could do was smile.

Or rather, she wanted to scream. _Zuko had kissed her!_ She wanted to relive the moment over and over. But already, Zuko was pulling his mask back on. She reached for her hat, not ready to have the moment end.

"Ok, so I have a plan" Zuko said to her. How could he do that? Go from a tender moment like that to all business the next. (What she didn't know was that Zuko could've jumped off the tower and flown all the way back to the house fueled only by the butterflies in his chest) His heart soared when he realized she had accepted the kiss. He currently didn't care about Aang and what existed between him and the waterbender. But he did have to focus. He promised Suki they wouldn't be out all night and he didn't want to worry her.

The lighthouse light panned out to sea and he pointed to the best lit area of water in front of the largest row of beach houses. The men were still crowded around the beach.

"We need to disappear right in front of their eyes. It's the only way they'll think we've gone. Ready to put on a bit of a show?" he asked her. She grinned through the veil and nodded. "Ok, so do what you did in our spar earlier. I need you to start on the far corner of the beach where they can't see you, and run out into the sea on an ice bridge. Cover the area in fog so it'll look like you're running on water. They should be able to see you and that'll get their attention. Hopefully. If they don't see you then they'll definitely see me. I'm going to run out on the ice bridge after you and when I get to you I'll melt the ice beneath our feet and you can take us down in an air bubble beneath the water like you did earlier."

Katara looked at him with wide eyes. "That's a lot of bending all at once, Zuko." 

"Also, you'll need to melt the ice bridge and eliminate the fog so it _really_ looks like we've disappeared into thin air" Zuko added. _Boy, did he have a flair for the dramatic._ Katara looked doubtful. "I really think it's our best option" Zuko insisted. She sighed and nodded.

"Ok. Let's do this" she said finally. They ran down the steps of the tower and past the hawkkeeper who was still fast asleep. They slipped under the cover of darkness to the edge of the beach. Katara stood and let the waves lap at her feet, soaking her robe. Her heart was pounding and she was nervous. If this didn't work, then she didn't know what they would do.

Zuko grabbed her hand and squeezed it in encouragement. It was now or never. Katara took a deep breath, then swung her arms out to bend a cloud of fog around her. She stepped onto the wet sand, freezing it beneath her feet, then took off across the water. She was careful to guide the fog behind her and in front of her, but never hid herself from the shore. Zuko watched as she ran. It was amazing. She was pulling off the act marvelously and if he didn't know better, he would've sworn she was running atop the water, almost flying.

Katara looked to her left at the shore. The light from the lighthouse beamed across her and she saw faces turn her way. She was far enough away from shore that they wouldn't be able to pick out any defining features. Zuko heard shouts and knew she had been spotted. She stopped, suddenly, letting the fog hide the ice bridge. Zuko needed to run out to her quickly. She would not be able to maintain the bridge in the waves for very long.

He was already on the way. The group on the beach watched in awe as the robed, veiled figure glided across the water, then stopped, standing above the ocean. There was a movement to their right and suddenly they spotted the second spirit. The grinning face of the Blue Spirit turned their way, striking fear into their hearts. They had tampered with forces they did not understand.

The ice began to crack beneath Zuko's feet and he ran faster, turning his attention away from the shore and zeroing in on Katara. She turned to watch him come. His heart raced and he was filled with the excitement of the moment as he approached her. She was beautiful. Her hair and robe blew in the wind and moved the veil against her face. He wanted that hat gone. He wanted to look her in the eyes again and hold her close.

He reached her, and as the crowd on the beach watched, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Her breath caught in her throat as he closed around her. His masked face tipped her head back and pulled away the veil from her head. She looked up at him, towering above her. His golden eyes gleamed at her with a ferocity that did not scare her, their noses and lips not a hand width apart, only separated by the cold mask of the Blue Spirit.

She barely had time to remember to bend away the ice bridge and fog in that moment. She felt secured against him as the ice melted beneath his feet and she parted back the water below them. They sank into the sanctuary beneath the waves and disappeared from view.

From the shore, the group watched as the whole picture suddenly disappeared before them. The spirits and fog vanished like it had never been there at all. Some of the older men blinked their eyes and strained to see across the dark water. The lighthouse beam dispelled any suspicions that the spirits remained. They grew silent and one by one retired to their houses.

A legend began that night that was repeated for decades to come. The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady, bonded together by their hatred for the war, now haunted the shores and waters of the Fire Nation islands. It was said, if your house leaked in the storms or if the fog grew so thick that you couldn't see the sea, then they were visiting. If you watched the ocean beneath the light of the moon you might even spot them, rushing to meet each other on the sea before disappearing once again above the waves.

As the waters closed over top of them and the darkness of the night and the sea surrounded them, Katara and Zuko fell onto the ocean floor. One of his arms still wrapped around her waist as she leaned up against him to catch her balance. His other hand had reached up to pull off the mask as they fell. When his feet were secure on the ground beneath him he did not hesitate one more moment.

He leaned forward and kissed her. His hand came up to cup her cheek and support the back of her neck as her cool lips finally pressed against his. The tension and wanting of the past month poured out into this one kiss. She smelled like lilies and he let her scent engulf him. Her hands came up to brace first against his chest, then moved to wrap around his neck and hold him closer. Katara's heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest as she forgot about every and any reason why she shouldn't kiss him back.

It didn't matter. Her heart realized and accepted all the feelings for him that she had yet to name. All she knew was she wanted to stay beneath this ocean with him for the rest of the night. He tasted sweet as honey with a tint of smoke and she was eager for more. Any kiss Zuko had experienced before melted from his memory as Katara sighed against him and moved her head to deepen the kiss.

They were lost to the world in those special minutes as Zuko memorized every sensation and feeling of her lips against his. They could lose each other so easily in the weeks to come. The universe could not begrudge them this moment.

The future was unknown. But this moment was theirs.

The danger had long since passed by the time they finally resurfaced. Exhausted, they made their way back to the house and fell asleep together on Appa in the stables. 

Suki hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since the two adventurers left, but she now finally relaxed when she looked out the back window and spotted the two figures go into the stable. She waited for a minute, and when they didn't come out she smiled to herself and returned to her room.

Maybe Zuko took her advice after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Check out the full story from the series "Discovering Destiny." This story has a different ending there that has been edited so that it could end at this point as a one-shot.
> 
> And please leave a kudos or a comment. I have no shame and am a human with a constant want of atta-boys. But then again, aren't we all?


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